


chocolate-coated kisses

by lilynete



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Multi, The Pocky Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27503902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilynete/pseuds/lilynete
Summary: It’s pocky day! What better way to celebrate than with everyone’s favorite game?
Relationships: Kamiki Izumo/Moriyama Shiemi, Okumura Rin/Suguro "Bon" Ryuuji, Okumura Yukio/Shima Renzou
Comments: 14
Kudos: 105





	chocolate-coated kisses

**Author's Note:**

> hello i just wrote this in six hours straight o_o
> 
> this is my first time writing literally any of the exwires besides rin, so i’m a little nervous about the results but i hope you enjoy!
> 
> happy pocky day!

There’s something unsettling about Shima’s grin as he strolls into class that day. Something _suspicious._ It’s impossible not to notice as he slides casually into his seat at the last second before the ringing of the bell. Confused glances are passed among the rest of them. Izumo looks away with a scoff that silently announces that whatever it is, she absolutely does _not_ want to know. Rin squirms a little in his seat, like he wants to question it but isn’t sure if the mood is right or not. Ryuuji seems less concerned with whether it’s acceptable or not, narrowing his eyes at his childhood friend and beginning to open his mouth to say something when—-

“Alright, let’s begin.” Yukio cuts in from the front of the classroom, closing off the opportunity for anyone to satiate their curiosity for now. Shima’s strange expression doesn’t falter even as they pull out their textbooks and go through their lessons, and that fact only serves to make the suspicious tension in the air grow thicker and heavier.

By the time cram school rolls to an end for the day, it’s become utterly unbearable to everyone in the room. Shockingly, it’s Konekomaru that breaks through the silence to address the elephant in the room first.

“What’s going on with you?” Everyone’s eyes are already on the resident spy, varying degrees of concern and outright annoyance spread across each of their faces. Shima blinks in bewilderment, but his grin doesn’t shy away.

“Woah, hey. Chill out, guys.” His hands go up defensively. “You aren’t all thinking I’m up to something fishy, are ya?”

There’s a collective, simultaneous response of various _yeps_ and _definitelys_. Shima looks heartbroken by the betrayal for a moment, before that same smile fixes itself back on his face.

“It’s nothing like that at all! Look,” He reaches down for his bag suddenly, fishing through it until he pulls out a bright red box. “It’s a national holiday, y’know? I thought we could all celebrate.”

“So you _are_ up to something.” Ryuuji concludes first.

“Bon! How could you say that?” Shima pouts and throws himself over the top of his desk dramatically. “I just wanted to play a fun game together!”

“You wanted to do something _weird_ , didn’t you?”

“A pocky game isn’t weird! It’s a perfectly normal party game! C’mon, don’t you guys think it’d be fun? It’s like, a bonding experience! With snacks! You like snacks, Okumura-kun, right? Don’t you think we should all play?”

Before Rin has time to react to Shima’s attempt to pull him in as an ally, Shiemi hesitantly lifts her hand.

“Um, what’s a pocky game?”

Shima whips his head towards her at the question, and the sound of a lightbulb switching on in his brain is practically audible. “ _Oh,_ Moriyama-san!” He exclaims excitedly as he makes his approach. “I’m so glad you asked!”

“You see,” He begins to explain as he tears open the box and pulls out a stick, “two people play at a time, you take one end in your mouth like this—” he presses the chocolate-coated end to his lips in demonstration, then pulls it away to continue speaking. “The other person takes the other end, then you both eat till it breaks or you meet in the middle!”

He finishes his explanation with a wink that has Shiemi turning pink, and across the room Izumo looks fully prepared to call upon her familiars and end the boy’s life. “W—well, if it’s really something we can all do together...then I think it might be nice to give it a try.”

Everyone looks equally shocked by her response, Shima included. “For real?”

“You _can’t_ be serious.”

“Moriyama-san, don’t let him fool you! You don’t have to agree to something like that.”

She shakes her head with a soft smile, dismissing the concerns. “But,” The blush on her face grows brighter, and she fidgets and takes a deep breath before continuing. “I want to play with Kamiki-san. If that’s alright.”

The blush on Izumo’s face then makes Shiemi’s look like nothing at all. “Wh—what?! Just how stupid are you? What kind of joke is that?!” She huffs and stammers, but something akin to interest sparkles in her eye and she can’t bring herself to say _no_ , exactly.

“I—it’s okay if you don’t want to! It’s just, since you’re my friend, I thought maybe it’d be fun…” Shiemi looks sheepishly to the side. The boys are all making a point to not disrupt their moment, though Rin watches curiously and Shima looks like he’s just been defeated at his own game.

“Okay, fine.” Izumo stomps over and holds out a hand expectantly towards Shima, waiting to be handed the treat. He fumbles with the box for a moment before dropping one into her palm.

“R—really? You’re okay with it?” Shiemi asks, voice rising with excitement.

“Well, I’m not gonna let any of these guys do it with you! I don’t trust them.—- _Especially_ you.” She points the pocky stick she now holds at Shima accusingly, then turns back to the other girl and grumbles. “It’s just a stupid party game, anyways. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

Shiemi smiles brightly, folding her hands together under her chin. “Thank you, Kamiki-san! Let’s do our best!”

Izumo doesn’t respond, knowing if she tries her words will come out as an embarrassing jumble. Instead, she gets right to it. Placing one end of the pocky stick between her lips, and leaning closer for Shiemi to do the same. At this distance, they can’t look much elsewhere aside from straight into each other's shimmering eyes. A thousand words are conveyed between them without a single sound, and they still like that for a moment before Shiemi gives a single, small nod. Izumo’s eyes close as she inhales deeply through her nose, then begins her trail of delicate nibbles along the snack.

The universe stills when their lips meet, their hearts fluttering wildly in unison. Izumo let’s herself enjoy the softness of Shiemi’s trembling lips (they taste even sweeter than the chocolate still melting on her tongue) for a second that feels equally like all the time in the world and far too short, before jerking back, suddenly remembering where they are. 

When she opens her eyes again, most of her classmates are looking on in surprise with the exception of Shima, who’s pointedly looking away as if he’d (correctly) assumed he’d be facing Izumo’s wrath if he were caught watching. Shiemi’s hands are pressed against her own warm cheeks now, doing absolutely nothing to hide her giddiness.

“I wanna go next.” Rin blurts out suddenly, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Absolutely not!” Izumo shrieks, horrified by the implication. When Rin realizes the conclusions she’s come to from his lack of clarity, he grows his own shade of red.

“No, not—” He stammers, then makes a frustrated noise as words fail him before turning to point over at Ryuuji. “Suguro! Do it with me.”

The other boy pulls back in shock, jaw hanging low. “Why me?”

“‘Cause you’re the coolest one here.” Rin answers with an air of certainty. As if there’s any sort of sensible logic to that.

“That’s no reason t’…” Ryuuji starts to counter, before looking into those damn _puppy dog eyes_ of Rin’s, and he immediately knows there’s no way he can turn him down. He pauses as though weighing out his options, sighs heavily, then rises from his seat and moves to stand beside Rin. “Let’s get it over with, then.”

“You two are both hopeless…” Shima mutters under his breath, shaking his head as he holds out the box in Rin’s direction. The two girls in the room are still a little too distracted by each other and the moment they’d just shared to give it any sort of acknowledgment, but Koneko makes a subtle sound of agreement. Neither of the boys in question seems to pay attention to the comment either, as Rin simply pulls a pocky stick from out of the box and pops it into his mouth.

The sound of a _crunch_ echoes through the classroom before Ryuuji even has a chance to take his own end, disrupting the anticipatory atmosphere.

“Okumura-kun….”

“You’re supposed to _wait…_ ”

“How did you even…”

Everyone stares down at the other half of the stick on the floor, entirely dumbfounded as to how he could have messed up so greatly before even starting the game.

“I dunno!! It was just habit, okay? There was food in my mouth, so I ate it!” Rin tries with desperation to defend himself. “Lemme try again.”

Shima sighs, and considers turning him down for a moment so he can get his own turn already. The way the two of them were constantly dodging around their feelings for each other _did_ get a little annoying, though. If this was a chance to finally make them face it, he couldn’t just let it pass by. “I guess it’s only fair that you get another shot, since you hadn’t even started yet.”

Rin takes a new piece, looking far more concentrated than the nature of the game called for as he—much more carefully—sets it in his mouth once again.

“If only you could take schoolwork this seriously.” Ryuuji mutters with something fond in his tone, before leaning in and this time _successfully_ biting down on the other end.

Three bites in, with the tips of their noses practically brushing against each other, the pocky stick snaps. Rin’s brow furrows and he faces Shima once more.

“Again.”

_Crunch. Crunch. Snap._

“Again.”

_Crunch. Snap._

“Again.”

_Crunch. Cunch. Crunch. Snap._

“One more.”

“Dude, the box is almost empty…” Shima’s finally had enough after several more failed attempts between the two to meet in the middle. “At this point, the two of you should just kiss and call it a day.”

They both look wildly embarrassed, even worse than the girls had earlier after the first kiss they’d shared in front of everyone. Shima almost wishes he could take a photo to commemorate this, and also for potential future blackmail and teasing purposes.

“That isn’t—it’s not like—we’re just friends! Just like we are with all of you!” Rin insists, doing absolutely nothing to convince anyone.

“Sure, sure. ‘Cause we _all_ lay our heads on each other’s shoulders while studying, right?” Shima pokes, having way too much fun with this.

“Don’t forget the time the gorilla gave you that hairclip you still wear all the time. That was, what, a week into the school year?” Izumo chimes, snagging the opportunity to flip all the attention from earlier onto the other unofficial couple with vindictive pleasure.

“That first thing’s just because it’s comfier that way! Any of us could do it if you really wanted. And—that’s just the kinda guy Suguro is! He’s really nice like that. Why wouldn’t I use something he gave to me?”

“You’re a real idiot, y’know that?” Ryuuji juts in then, sparing Rin (and himself) from any further ridiculing from the others and grabbing him, gently but firmly, by the shoulders. He stares long and hard into Rin’s eyes as if looking for the same silent permission to move forward that Izumo had received, and though Rin doesn’t nod the way Shiemi had, he leans forward on the balls of his feet like he’s being pulled in subconsciously towards Ryuuji’s lips. The gap between them closes, the pocky-free kiss is a little rougher and longer than the girls’ had been, and this time rather than forcing himself to turn away Shima lets out an exaggerated _whoop!_ that makes them pull apart.

“W—” Rin’s a little sad that it’s over already, especially since his brain is still in the middle of trying to process what had even just _happened_.

“Let’s talk about it later.” Ryuuji says, low enough that it’s only meant for him. Rin’s eyes sparkle with something ecstatic, recognizing the promise in his voice, and he nods. He’s quickest to move past his own embarrassment, already grinning unashamedly from ear to ear. His tail wags happily behind him.

“Ahh, geez! There’s only one left!” Shima disrupts the moment as he pulls out the final stick of pocky. He turns towards the only other person in the room who’s yet to get a turn with a pleading look. “Koneko-san, ya don’t mind letting me take this one, do ya?”

“I didn’t really want to play, so…”

“You’re the best, man!”

The shorter boy looks uncertain, but smiles anyways. Shima’s grin from the start of the day is back in full force now, as he turns and—-

“Izumo-chaaa—”

“Not a chance.” She objects bluntly before he even has a chance to ask, none of her earlier flusteredness from when she’d mistaken Rin’s intentions present now. She’s cool in her rejection, and it was far more terrifying than any loud snap. The grin falls back off his face in an instant as he begins spiraling into an overdramatic despair. 

“Anyways, as _sweet_ as this has all been, I’ve wasted enough time goofing off for today. I’ve got homework to do.” She turns to Shiemi with an expectant gaze, “Are you coming?”

“Oh! Um, sure!” Shiemi agrees enthusiastically, moving to follow Izumo out of the room. Before making her exit, she turns back towards the rest of the group. “Bye guys! Thanks for suggesting this, Shima-kun. I had a lot of fun! And congrats, Rin!” She waves one more time before hurrying out the door to catch up with her... _friend? Girlfriend now? Looks like Rin and Ryuuji wouldn’t be the only ones talking things out later._

“I’m gonna go too.” Koneko says next, looking hesitant as he collects his things. “We probably all should.”

“Yeahh, that’s probably a good idea.” Ryuuji agrees, a look of recognition passing over him. “I’ll walk back to the dorms with ya. Seeya around later, Okumura?”

“Y—yeah, sure! You can swing by later if you want? Yukio’ll probably be too busy to stop home for dinner again tonight, so…”

“I’ll come by then.” Ryuuji affirms before the two of them make their departure.

“Uh, I’m gonna go too. Sorry about eating all your pocky.” Rin smiles apologetically at the other remaining boy.

“Don’t worry about it.” Shima assures him, a note of hopelessness in his tone. “Doesn’t matter how much pocky I have if there’s no one to take the other end.”

“Aww, hey! Don’t say that, I’m sure you’ll find someone!” Rin does his best to give him an optimistic smile and a pat on the back. “You’re a good-looking guy, after all! And no one knows about this kind of stuff better than you do!”

“You really mean it? You think so?” Shima gives him a watery-eyed look.

“Yeah, totally! And I mean, if it doesn’t happen, you can just enjoy the whole piece for yourself!” _That_ doesn’t help, but Shima doesn’t burst Rin’s bubble by telling him so this time.

“Thanks, Okumura-kun.” He places a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You’re a real good friend. Bon’s lucky to have a guy like you.”

“Yeah...aha, well...we’ll see how that talk goes.” He looks nervously giddy at the mention of it, and Shima thinks it’s completely ridiculous that Rin would even expect any outcome _other_ than him and Bon making it official. “Later.”

“Later.”

And Shima is alone.

He supposes he should be on his way too, then. He’s got plenty of important things to procrastinate on, after all. He stretches in the empty classroom, taking a moment for himself to just _be_ , without any expectations, before heading out to the hall.

It’s long enough after everyone else’s departure that he expects the place to be empty. For most of his walk, it is. Until he hears a second set of footsteps echoing around the corner and his curiosity piques. He leans casually against the wall and waits.

“You’re here pretty late.” He speaks up as soon as the newcomer is in front of him, and the way he jolts slightly in his startlement before composing himself makes Shima feel a warm wave of pride wash over him. “Hey, Sensei.”

“Shima-kun,” Yukio’s voice remains casual, but his narrowed eyes speak of heavy distrust. As if Shima’s presence itself set off alarm bells of suspicion in his head now. “I could say the same to you.”

“Ah, well, y’know,” Shima winks and presses a finger to the corner of his lips, “I’ve got reasons.”

“I’m sure you do.” Yukio makes his lack of amusement more than transparent, it’d almost sting a little if Shima weren’t so used to it.

“What can I say? I like to keep busy.” He jokes weakly, turning his gaze down to the red box still in his hand. Something clicks then. “Hey, d’you want this?” He holds the box out to his teacher, the lone piece still inside rattling as it shifts with the movement.

Yukio just looks confused now. “Pocky…?”

Shima forces a grin. “It’s eleven-eleven. Happy pocky day.”

“There’s only one left in here. Don’t tell me you’ve just been standing here snacking by yourself this whole time.” Yukio states as he peers inside the box. Shima can’t tell if he thinks it’s outright pathetic or just ridiculous.

“Aha...nah. You’re brother’s guilty of eatin’ most of it, actually.”

“Of course he is.” Yukio mumbles, and despite all he knows of what a rocky mess the relationship between the two brother’s has been in the time Shima’s known them, he can’t help feeling a bit jealous of the way Yukio sounds almost _soft_ with familiarity.

“I was thinkin’ it’d be fun for everyone to play the pocky game together, but well…it didn’t really pan out how I’d hoped.”

It isn’t Izumo’s rejection he’s upset about. He never expected anything different. She’d made her orientation and her complete lack of interest clear from day one, and in all honesty, he mostly just continued to flirt to rile her up.

The only option that left him with was Shiemi, with Bon and Rin spoken for (even if the two themselves had only _just_ realized it) and the former and Koneko feeling way too close to brothers to ever want something like that with, anyways. The girl was sweet, sure, and easy on the eyes without a doubt. But she was a little _too_ sweet for Shima’s personal taste anyways. 

(Plus, there was the whole Clearly Crushing On Izumo thing.)

So, okay, he never really expected to get anything out of the game himself in the first place. He never should have. But it left him with a petulant hurt anyways, and a bitter part of him wishes he had continued to let his friends wallow in their own cluelessness instead of giving both pairs the generous push they’d so obviously needed.

“And what was it you were hoping for, exactly?”

_Jesus_ , he’d nearly forgotten Yukio was right there still.

“Dunno.” He shrugs indifferently. “Nothing really, I guess. I didn’t get a turn, anyways.”

“Do you want one?”

“Huh?” Shima thinks he must be hearing things.

“A turn. Do you want one?” Yukio looks almost impatient at his confusion. _Had he always been this bold?_

“Uhh, I guess. It’s whatever now. Not like there’s anyone left around to play. Unless you’re offering.” He phrases it as a joke, because _no way no way no way_ _he can’t be serious_.

“I am.” Yukio takes a step closer, his knees bumping lightly against Shima’s. Shima searches his face for some sign that he really is just messing with him, waits expectantly for Yukio to fall back and laugh at the way cheeks have grown warm and his heartbeat overwhelms his eardrums, but he’s as serious now as he’s ever been about anything. “Show me how to do it.”

“Okay.” Shima breathes out, fumbling as he pulls out the final stick of pocky. “You just,” He holds it up between their faces, and it practically fills the gap. “Put that end in your mouth. This one goes in mine, and whoever pulls away first loses.”

“Simple enough.” Yukio nods, like he’s just explained a game of Uno and not one designed to make them kiss. “Ready?”

Shima responds by placing his end between his lips. In that same moment, Yukio’s cool facade slips and he looks all the part of the nervous teenage boy about to get his first kiss that he actually is. Shima’s lips quirk up into a smile around the stick when he spots it, and then they’re both moving forward.

It’s like floating through the galaxy, the feeling of Yukio’s lips pressing hesitantly against his own when they first meet in the middle, then quickly gaining enough confidence to deepen the chocolate-coated kiss. They stay like that for a few moments, longer than either pair in the classroom had lasted with an audience. This is just for them, a quiet little piece of time where everything that was going to shit in their lives slips off far, far away and forgotten. It’s just the two of them, and the stars.

Shima’s the first to pull away at last, smiling now more naturally than he has in a long, long time. Maybe ever. He wonders if it looks different than his usual smile, wonders if it looks as goofy and stupid and _so, so damn happy_ as he feels. “Damn. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I don’t like to lose.” Yukio states, the color of his cheeks and the tremble of his hands still resting at Shima’s waist betray the composure he tries to present himself with.

“No kiddin’. You want a prize for that?”

“I can think of something.” He murmurs, pressing their foreheads together before pulling away completely. “But I _did_ have a reason for coming back here. I’ve got work to do, first.”

“Awww, c’mon! You can afford to slack off a little, can’t ya?” Shima whines, tugging back on Yukio’s hand.

“Mmm, afraid I can’t. I already came here just to finish it, anyway. I’ll find you when I’m done.”

Shima wants to protest a little more, but reluctantly lets him go. _At least he has something to look forward to now._

_Lots of somethings, if he’s lucky._

“Oh, and Shima-kun?” Yukio pauses suddenly after a few steps, turns so that he can make out the gratitude on his face. “Happy pocky day.”


End file.
